The best of Aus v SA since 2000

Among cricket's most looked-forward-to contests, an Australia-South Africa affair would remain at the top of the list for many lovers of the sport because of the quality of cricket both these countries produce. The sides have fought fascinating battles over the years and there have been some stand-out performances emerging from these battles. Below are few such dazzling shows since the millennium.

de Villiers enthrals Perth:

Out of the 13 hundreds in Test cricket that AB de Villiers has scored so far, his most favourite innings is most likely the unbeaten 106 he scored against Australia at Perth in December 2008 which helped the Proteas chase down a record total of 414 - the second biggest successful chase in Test cricket. Graeme Smith set things up well with a hundred at the top of the order while half-centuries by Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and JP Duminy also contributed to the cause. But the most important knock came from de Villiers as he survived a testing first hour along with Kallis before guiding South Africa to a hard-fought victory with his seventh Test ton. The knock was all the more significant as it helped South Africa register their first victory on Australian soil in 14 years.

Clarke battles it out at Cape Town:

It was the opening Test at Cape Town in November 2011 when Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander had the Aussies dancing to their tune on a pitch conducive to quick bowling. While the rest of the Australian batters faltered, skipper Michael Clarke came up with a fighting effort to avoid his team from being bowled out for a low total. It was a singular effort on part of Clarke - after Shane Watson, Philip Hughes, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin had fallen cheaply - that helped the touring Australian side post a decent total of 284 on board. On a green top at Newlands, in the most trying of conditions with his side in deep trouble, Clarke displayed tremendous grit and determination to strike 151 runs off just 174 balls - a knock which Clarke himself described as his best in Test cricket.

Gilchrist blazes at Jo'Burg:

The Australian team of the early 2000s was so formidable that the batsmen lower down the order hardly got a chance to showcase their skills. In a team that had the likes of Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Ponting and Damien Martyn, the kind of impact Adam Gilchrist brought in with his game used to go unnoticed. But it was different in the opening Test against South Africa in February 2002 as the left-handed wicket-keeper batsman unleashed an array of strokes en route to a blistering double hundred that powered Australia to a mammoth 652/7 declared. Gilchrist, who came in at the fall of Steve Waugh with the score-card reading 293/5, piled on 317 runs in partnership with Martyn at a stunning run-rate of 5.09. Martyn fell after a well-compiled 133 following which Gilchrist, who at that stage had scored 178 off 200 balls, raced to a double hundred which came off just 212 balls to register the sixth fastest double ton in Test cricket.

Watson and Philander wreak havoc:

It is not often that two sides get bowled out for totals less than 100 in successive innings on the same day. But this unsual event happened during the second day's play of the first Test between South Africa and Australia in 2011. Shane Watson started the rout when he picked up 5/17 in his 5 overs to bowl out South Africa for just 96. Then came debutant Vernon Philander, who replied in kind to Australia's bowling show by coming up with an excellent spell of 5/17 from 7 overs to bowl out Australia for a mere 47. It could have been worse as Australia were reduced to 21/9 at one stage. But for a fighting 26 run stand between Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon for the final wicket Australia would have had to face the ignominy of being bowled out for their lowest ever total, although this total of 47 happens to be Australia's lowest against the Proteas.

Johnson fires at Perth to no avail:

Mitchell Johnson to this day has remained an enigma as nobody, not even himself, can predict what kind of performance he can turn up with. While he can be erratic on some days, he can also be brilliant on a few occasions. The 2011 Perth Test between Australia-South Africa was one such occasion when the left-armer turned up with an excellent performance. While the Test is remembered by most because of the Proteas chasing down a record total, people would also recall this match for a fine display of seam bowling by Johnson. The left-handed quick picked up his best figures in Test cricket when he ended up with a haul of 8 for 61 in the first innings. Johnson, who finished with 11 wickets in the match - his best performance in Test cricket till date - also registered the best bowling figures in an innings for an Australian against South Africa.

All-round Steyn conquers Melbourne:

Ricky Ponting came up with 101 and 99 in the match at Melbourne in December 2008 while JP Duminy hit a career-best 166 in the same game. But the stand-out performance of the match came from Dale Steyn, whose all-round efforts helped South Africa register their first ever Test series win against Australia in Australia. Steyn, who scored a crucial 76 in a 9th wicket stand worth 180 runs with JP Duminy in the first innings, let the ball do the talking in both of the innings, picking up consecutive five wicket hauls, which left South Africa needing to score just 183 runs in the 4th innings to win the match. Steyn's efforts helped the Proteas round off a successful year in which they won 11 Test matches - South Africa's best performance ever in a calender year.

Following a draining draw in the second test, Australia took a new pace attack to Perth but Siddle was quick to defend the team's tactics saying it was important to ensure the players don't suffer an injury.

Ricky Ponting, who called it quits, on a glorious international career at the WACA on Monday, told sources that while he regarded the Indian Little Master, Sachin Tendulkar, as the greatest batsman he had played against, it was the flamboyant West Indian, Brian Charles Lara, who gave him nightmares, for his ability to single-handedly turn a match on its head and take his team to victory.

'Punter', as Ricky Ponting was popularly known as, called it a day on one of the most glorious and celebrated careers in Test cricket history. A great competitor, an astute captain and a phenomenal batsman, Ponting epitomized the 'Never Say Die Attitude'. Shubhartho Ghosh, an avid follower of Australian cricket, takes us through an emotional journey of the legendary batsman.

South Africa maintained their supremacy as the No. 1 ranked team in Test cricket when they annihilated Australia by a whopping margin of 309 runs to clinch the 3-match series 1-0 on Day 4 of the third and final Test at the WACA in Perth. Ricky Ponting was dismissed for 8 in his final international appearance.